Bottle-corking machine.



R. J.-s"GHL0ssER @L H. R. FISHER.

f BOTTLE CORKING MACHINE.

APPLIATION FILED JULY 23, 1907.

905,005. A Patented N0v.24.19o8.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. J. SQHLOSSBR & H. R. FISHER. BOTTLE CORKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILEDy JULY 23,119-07. 24

-3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

R. J. SGHLOSSER & H. B.. FISHER.

BOTTLEA GORKING MACHINE. I APPLIOATION FILED JULY 23, 1907.

UNiTnD N STATESPATENT ormoni.

ROBERT J. SCHLOSSER AND HENRY FISHER, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORSTO THE PISO COMPANY, OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFv PENNSYLTVAN-IA.

Borr'rLE-conme MAomNE.

No. 905,005. v

sp eeiscation of metter Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

i Application filed July 23, 1907. Serial No. 386,104.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, Ronnn'r J. SCHLossEn and HENRY R. Fisnna,citize1isofvtheUnited States, `residing at Warren, in the county of Warren andState of; Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements `inBott-le-Corking Machines, of which the fol.- lowing is a specification.This invention relates to a machine for corking bottles, and has for itsobject to provide a machine of such class, in a manner as hereinafterdescribed, in which the conrplete `operation of feeding the bottles andinserting the cork, `as well Vas feeding the'.

coi-ks to be inserted in the bottle necks will all be automatically andcorrelatively 4effected. Y

Further objects of the invent-ion are to provide a machine-of such classwhich shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient inits use, automatic in its operation, readily set -up and inexpensive tomanufacture. y "With the foregoing and other objects in view theinvention consists in the novel construction, combination and`arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically` de-` scribed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein` is shown thepreferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood thatchanges, modifications and variations can be resorted to which comewithin the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In describing theinvention in detail ref-` erence is had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views and in AWhich-A Figure1 is an elevation andlongitudinal section of afmachine for corkingbottles in accordance with this invention; Fig. '2 is a sectional endelevation Fig. 3 is a plan of the cork-carrying plate; Fig. 4. is alongitudinal sectional detail Vbroken away illustrating lthe corkfeeding tubes, cork carrying plate,- compl'essorcarrying bar, cork conxpressor andv further showing the manner of inserting a cork in thebottle neck, thecork i Referring to the drawings by referencecharacters, 1 and 2 denote a palr of longitudinally extending' combinedsupporting and 'guide rails, each formed integral with,

or connectedto the end supports 3, 4 and the intermediate supports Theinner por-A tion 6 of each of the rails 1, 2 constitutes a track uponwhich travels a bottle carrier-.7. The bottles 8 are mounted upon thecarrier in rows which extend. transversely of the carrier 7. The carrier7 is fed towards the means for inserting the corks (to be 'here -inafterdescribed)l in an intermittent manner to enable the said cork-insertingmeans to -operate intermittently upon the rows of bottleswso that duringeach coi-king operation aplurality of bottles will'be corked. To providefor the intermittent or step by step movement ofthe carrier 7 so thatsaid carrier `will be shifted in alongltudmal ,d1-,

rection towards the corkinserting means, the carrier 7 'has its lowerface formed with a series of transversely-eXtending teeth 9, the teeth Q'b'eing so disposed with respect to the rows of bottles that each tooth,when the bottles are positioned upon the carrier, will' be in verticalalinement with the necks of the' bottles of Aa row. Adapted to intermitltently engage -the teeth 9 so as, to cause the shifting of .the carrieris a dog 10. The position of the dog 10 with respect to the teethof'jthe'carrier is that such dog is arranged to engage the teethapproximately centrally thereof. The do 10 is pivoted, a's at 11, to

the upper yend o a lever arm 12, the latter carrying a stud 13whichconstitutcs an abutment l:for the dog 10 when it is in engagementwith a tooth 9 -to shift. the carrier, the stud I3 therefore arrestingthe swinging movement of the dog 10 in one direction. The lower yend'ofthe lever arm l2 is pivotally connected as at 14'to a link 15 which hasone end pivoted upon the cross rod 16 mounted in the intermediatesupports 5. The other end of the link 15 is attached, as at 17 to aneccentric rod 18 carried by the strap 20 ofthe eccentric 21 which .ismounted uponthe operating shaft. 22. The `latter is jdurnaled in theintermediate supports 5 and has each end prejecting therefrom. One ofthe projecting ends. of the shaft 22 carries a pinion 23,'the functionof which will be hereinafter referred toand the other projecting end ofsaid shaft 22 carries a.

drive lpulley 24 operated from a prime mover (not shown), and which isadapted to be clutched to and unclutched from the shaft 22 in a manneras hereinafter -set forth. From the foregoing arrangement of parts it isevident that when the shaft 22 is rotated, motion will be imparted tothe eccentric 21 Which, through the medium of the rod 17, Will actuatethe link l5, and the latter in turn Will shift'the lever arm 12, causingthe dog 10 to engage a tooth 9 and shift fthe carrier 7 a distancenecessary to position a row of bottles to receive corks driven in thenecks of the bottles in a manner as hereinafter referred to.

Projecting upwardly from each of the combined guide and supporting barsis an upright 26 connected together at their tops by thetransversely-extending cross member 27 which is formed at each end withan opening constituting guides for the recipro-` catory rods 28 foractuating the cork drivers 30 which are secured to atransversely-extending bar 3l attached to the rods 28. lIhese latter areactuated through eccentrics 28a carried by the shaft 22. The bar 31 isattached to the rods 28 below the cross member 27'. The function of thecork drivers 30 is to force the corks through the cork-carrying 32having each side thereof provided with aY longitudinally-extending ledge33 constituting aV track, as Well .as a support for the shiftablecork-carrying plate 34. The latter is formed with a centrally-disposedrectangular opening 35 in which is mounted a pair of cork transferrerseach formed of two members, the members of one transferrer beingindicated by 'the reference characters 36, 37, while the members of theother transferrer are indicated by the reference characters 3 8, 39. Themembers 36, 38 are stationary relative to the plate 34, while themembers 37, 39 are adjustable. The members 36, 38 are formed with aseries of vsemicylindrical grooves 40, while the members 37, 39 areformed with like grooves 41. The grooves of the ymembers-36, 38 opposethe grooves of the members 37, 39, thereby providing each of thetransferrers with a series of circular openings to receive the corkswhen they are fed thereto from the cork supply means. Normally, themember 37 is held in engagement With the member 36 and a like'arrangement is had in connection with the member 38 With respect to themember 39 through the medium of' a pair of com ression springs 42 whichare interpose tween the members 37 39. The springs 42 are carried by thebars 43 having screwthreaded ends, the said bars extending through theplate 34 and carrying on their screw-threaded ends the nuts 44. The harsbe-v i 43 also carry fixed collars Yti which abut against the members35, 38 for permanently retaining them against the plate 34. The members37, 39 are adapted to be shifted fromthe members 36, 38 so as to enlargethe cork-receiving openings to facilitate the entrance of the corks andfor this` purpose stationary shifting arms are carried by the frame 32.These arms are indicated by the reference characters 46'. 47 and arearranged in pairs. The arms 46 are adapted to eugage the member 37 forshifting it and the arms 47 are adapted to engage the member 38 forshifting it'. The shifting of the mem her 37 is alternate with respectto the shifting of the member 39. To prevent. the coi-ks falling throughthe trausferrers when t:lie v are opened a thin plate 34 is arrangedhelow said transferrers and secured to the frame 32, the plate 34 havinga centrallyvarranged opening 34b to allow of the opera tion of the corkdrivers. The plate 34 is not as wide as the frame 32 forming a clearance34" at each side. To provide for the operation of the arms 46, as wellas the arms 47, the plate 34 is formed with a seriesl ol` passages 4Sshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and in full lines in Fig. 4. 'lhe plate34 is adapted to be reciprocated aml when recip rocated in one directionthe arms t6 will shift the member 37 and when the plate Ittis moved inthe opposite direction the arms 47 will shift the member 39. Thisarrange- -ment is had in view of the fact that the transferrersalternately receive the corks from the cork supplying mechanism, andfurthermore the transferrers are alternately positioned with respect tothe compressors` the latter to be hereinafter referred to. The

plate 34 is reciprocated through the medium moving through the keepers57 tixed to anl upright 26 and an intermediate support 5. Attached tothe slide bar 56 by the pin 58 is a link 59 which is eccentricallyconnected as at G0 to a gear 6l which meshes with the pinion 23. Theother end of the rock shaft 49 carries a lever arm 49h which ispivotallv connected to the lugs 49p which depend from the lower face ofthe plate 34 and extend through the clearance 34".

/ From the foregoing arrangement it Vis evident that when the shaft 22is rotated, motion will be transferred from the. pinion 23 to the gear61, which actuating the link .79. will reciprocate the slide bar 56. Onthe up- Ward movement of the bar 56 the roller 55 will engagethe'arm-,'53 ofthe bell crank,

rocking the shaft 49a, moving the arms 49",

lposite direct-ion. y 'The movement of the pla-te, however, owmg to the=arrangement of the rollers with respect to the arm 53 of the bell crankis such that' when the plate is atl `the limit of itsmo'vement inonevdir'ecti'o'n it Will remain stationary a suficient time `so as toenable the o eration of the drivers to force the corks rom atransferrer, "through the compressors and intothe bottle neck.4

The reference character 62 denotes'ai cork compressor-carrying barsupported upon the vertlcal members 63, these?latter'beingactul atedbythe camsv 64"carried -by thev shaft .22.

The members 63" extend throughA and 'aref :guided bythe combined guidefand support ing rails 1, 2. The `compressor carryingbar 62 extendstransversely ofthe machineand is'arrangedin the ath of the drivers BOandat each endftherco ,the bar 62`is formed with an opening"` 165i yand lthrough whiclextend elongated opening extending inthe direction of thelength thereof, as at 65, Withthe side-y walls'of saidl openingsshouldered as at 66 a plurality of cork guides 67. These compressors'areshouldered, as at 68, suchshoulvbe stripped of the cork.

ders being adapted to sea-t upon the shoulders 66 of thel bar 62. Eachofthe combined guides and compressors 67 is formed with a conoidal-vshaped opening 69 the `Wal1` lof which 'com-f .resses the cork and Iis'further provided on its ower face with a nip- 7 0v for centering `thecompressor with respect to thebottle nec-k, 4as

clearly shown in Fig. 4. The mountingof. the compressors 1n a loosemannerv 1n the bar 62 allows forl the automatic adjustment there@ ofowing to the-irregularities in the bottle neck, particularly'in regardto the 'hei'ht thereof. `The automatic adjustment o a compressor isclearly shown in Fig". 4. The function "of the" compressors 67 is not"only to compress' t-he cork asit is bein'gfdriven into the-bottle neckas clearly shown infFi'g.

4, but also tostrip thecork in *view of the is elevated, carrying thecompressors'there-- with and consequently t-hecompressor will Thevertical movement of the bar 62 is lia-d against the pull of the springs71 so that as 'the members 63 lower the pull of the spring 71 will causethe bar 62 to position the compressors 67 in operative relationwithrespect to the mouths of the bottles. l

' The means for feeding the corks to the transferrers consist-s of twolseries of cork tubes 7 2,' the numberof cork tubes of; each seriescorresponding tothe number of corkreceiving openings of a transferrer. lLThe 4tubes of each series are 'braced at` theirrtops "'-corktransferrers-that thc-plate 34will act tofcut ofi' thesupplyofcoi'ksfrom one series of tubes, whilethe lcojrksof the other series of tubesare'beingrv supplied .tof'a transferren The vreference character'78denotes a clutch mounted upon the shaft l22 and whichl lis adapted tobe-brought into engagement with the pulley 24, thereby clutching v it tothe shaft 22 so as t'orotate the latter; After the last row of bottleshas been corked the clutch 78 is automatically moved out ofengagementwith the pulley 24, thereby discontinuing the foperation'of theshaft'22.vThe means for automatically moving the clutch 78 out of engagement withthe pulleyv 24 to unclutch the latter vfrom the 'shaft 22` consists of ablock 79 attached to one'side ofthe carrier and which is adapted toengage and shift in a lateraldirection, 'the lever arm 80 so as to`elevate the. vertica1ly-extending member 81 having its upperend formedwith a hook 82 and its lower'end pivotally connected as at 83 to .ahinged rod 86 carrying a roller 87 which bearsagainst .a bar 88 pivotedat'its lower end asll at 89 and `attached intermediatc its ends to theclutch 7 8. Afguidef'9'0`is provided lfor the verticallyextendin'gmember 81. Vlien the lever 80 is moved later- `ally by the block 79 themember 81 will be elevated lcarrying thearm 86 'therewithin an upwarddirection. The movement of the arm 86 in suchmannerwill'force the bar88tion of therod 88 so as to prevent theclutch V78 from engaging with thepulley24. By

disconnecting the hooked end 82 from the hook member 91 the clutch 78can be moved toclutch'thepulley 24 to the shaft 22, therevby throwingthe machine into operation.

various mechanisms, but it will be stated that the shift-ing of thecarrier to position a row of bottles to be corked is had when thedrivers 30 start to return to their inoperative position. After thedrivers are moved clear of the transferrers the plate 34 is moved in anopposite direction so as to position the transferrer which has receiveda set of corks in .the path f the drivers while the other transferrerfrom which the corks have been ejected is positioned to receive anothersupply of corks. After the last row'of bottles has been corked Atheclutch mechanism is thrown out of operation so as to discontinue theactuation of the various mechanisms of the machine. It will furthermorebe stated that as the drivers return towards their inoperative positionthecams 64 elevate the rods 71 so as to move the bar 62 verticallythereby causing the corks to be stripped rfrom the compressors.

1. A machine of kthe character -described comprising a frame, areciprocatory plate mounted upon said frame', a pair of corktransferrerscarried by said plate-and adapted to receive the corks from. anindependent cork supply, and means carried by the frame andadapted `toextend in the plate and engage the transferrers .for adjusting them,

'thereby facilitating therein .the entrance of the corks receivedfromthe supply.

2. A machine ofthe character described comprising av frame, -areciprocatory plate; supported thereby, a pair of transferrers carriedby the plate and adapted to alternately receive corks from anindependent cork supn ply,and means fixed to the frame and adapted toextend in the plate during the reciprocations thereof,l therebyadjusting the transferrers to facilitate the entrance therein of thecorksreceived from the supply.

3. A machine for corking bottles comprising corkidaivers, carrier forshifting the bottles'to a positin to'be corked,'automatically-adjustablecork guides arranged in the path of thedrivers, a plurality of se `arate cork supplies, a pair of cork-transerrers alternately receiving Icorks from one of said supplies, and meansfor alternately positioning said transferrers over the guides in thepath of the drivers.

4. A machine of the character described comprising cork drivers, abottle carrier for shifting the bottles to a position to be corked,means for intermittently shifting said carrier, automatically adjustablecork guides arranged in the path of said drivers, a cork supply, a pairof cork transferrers, and a reciprocatory plate for alternatelypositioiil .transferrers over the guides and in the path ofthe drivers,means for reciprocating said drivers, and means for reciprocating saidplate.

6. A machine of the, character described `comprising a bottle carrier,means for inserting corks in the necksof the bottles, an operating meanstherefor and for said carrier, a clutch mechanism for connecting saidoperating-means with a prime' mover, and .a clutch shifting mechanismadapted to beactuated by a carrier for throwing the clutch mechanism toinoperative position, thereby discontinuing the operation of saidoperating means.

7. A machine for corking bottles comprising reciprocatory cork drivers,a pair of cork transferrers operating at right angles with respect tothe direction of the cork-drivers, a vertically-adjustable corkcompressor bar, automatically-adjustable cork guides mounted .in saidbar, means for alternately positioning a transferrer over said guides,and a carrier adapted to position the bottles beneath the guides and inthe path of the drivers.

8. A machine for corking bottles comprising reciprocatory cork drivers,a pair of cork transferrers operating at right angles with 'respect tothe direction of the cork drivers,

a vertically-adjustable cork compressor bar,

ed in said bar, means for alternately positioiiing a transferrer oversaid guides, a carrier adapted toposition the bottles beneath the guidesand in the path of the drivers, an operating shaft, means actuated fromsaid operating shaft for reciprocating the drivers, means actuated .fromsaid operating shaft for shifting said compressor bar, means actuatedfrom said shaft for shifting the corky transferrers, means actuated fromsaid shaft for shifting the carrier, a clutch for connecting said shaftto a prime mover, and means actuated by the carrier for throwing saidclutch to an inoperative position, thereby discontinuing the operationof the machine.

9. A machine for corking bottles comprising cork drivers, a-carrier forintermittently shifting rows of bottles to a position to bc corked, apair of cork supplies, a pair of transferrers adapted to alternatelyreceive corks from said supplies, means for o ening one of thetransfcrrersto facilitate t c enmember opposing .the grooves oftheothermember forming thereby cork receiving openings, means for,shifting said adjustable member from the stationary member therebyincreasing the size of the 'cork receivlng openings to facilitate theentrance of` the corks therein,` and means whereby said adjustablemember is automatically returned to normal position, thereby decreasingthe size of said openings. i j

11'. A machine of the character desbribed col'uprising a pair of corktransferrers, each comprising a pair of grooved members one ot' which isadjustable, the grooves of one member opposing the grooves of the othermember, forming thereby cork receiving openings, means for shifting saidadjustable member from the stationary member thereby increasing the sizeof the cork receiving openings to *facilitate .the entrance of the corkstherein, means whereby saidv adjustable member 1s automatically'returned to normal posltlon thereby decreasmg the size of saidopenings, cork drivers,- and means A whereby said'transferrers positionthe corks in the path of said drivers.

12. A machine of the character described comprising a pair of corktransferrers, each comprising al pair of grooved members one of whichisadjust-able, the grooves of 'one member opposing the grooves of theother member forming thereby cork receiving openings, means for shiftingsaid adjustable -members from the stationary member, thereby increasingthe size of -the cork receiving openings to facilitate the entrance ofthe corks therein, means whereby said adjustable member is automaticallyreturned to normal position thereby decreasing the size' ofsaldopenings, cork drivers, vmeans whereby said transferrers position thecorks in the path of said drivers, and a carrier for- -vintermittentlypositioning rows of bottles with the mouths of the bottles of each rowin the path of said drivers to receive the corks.

`In testimony whereof we have hereunto set' our hands Ain 'presence oftwo subscribing witnesses. v ROBERT J. SCHLOSSER.

HENRYR. FISHER. Witnesses G. C. Sw NsoN,.

E. I. 'BRIDENBAKER.

